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20050623GRAASR21T9                               20th April 2024

Thank you so much. That’s wonderful chanting of long life and now we will be beginning soon so I hope to be concluding the questions by another half and hour or twenty minutes. Thank you.

Audience : The first question is what are the consequences of telling your dreams before doing the respective Tara practice. And second part of the question, what about good dreams.

Rimpoche : Interesting question. First about this Tara, the dreams telling other people, I don’t know. What I do know is about the Yamantaka. Yamantaka have similar activities of pacifying your dreams. And that was you suppose to be doing whatever before you tell anybody. And what I heard is if you tell, share with somebody else you try to do later is harder to succeed or materialize. So I thought it should be the same. But Tara, good dreams are good dreams, enjoy it. However dream is one of one of the most unreliable example that does not work so well. Just want to share that with you. Thank you.(0.47:25)

Audience : Please clarify what you said about bad dreams. How it can be clear and transform into auspicious omens.

Rimpoche : As we talked. You have finish at all? Is it half question or one question?

Audience : That’s one question.

Rimpoche : Thank you. So, as we talked this morning as in that, particularly Tara which clears the disputes and dreams etc. The light coming from the liquid of Tara’s vase. Particularly dreams or whatever you have to clear. Imagine that. Rather imagery could use that and then any bad quality of it. It washing away from that nectar coming out of Tara’s vase and saying mantra and your concentration efforts and the power of truth and power of emptiness, combination together, it helps to transform and as a omen, it says even if there is nothing done but one has to think it has done deal now. Or at least a short period. That’s it.

Audience : When you say bad dreams, do you mean any bad dreams is spiritually inauspicious ones.

Rimpoche : I mean any bad dreams. Spiritually inauspicious are included.

Audience : What is the relationship between karma and dreams?

Rimpoche : There are so much questions on dreams tonight. I don’t know what is the relationship between karma and dreams. I don’t know. Whether dreams are real or not real. That is also a different question. I really can’t say. But one thing I can say, the dream state is such a thing and we can very much utilize that time and that period. Particularly utilize to create a positive karma and a positive activity. Simple, most simple thing what we do is we try to bring the dream state in the positive thoughts. Dream is one of those mental faculties. There are four of them are changeable. Dream is one of them. Changeable between positive and negative. Between virtuous and non virtuous. And how and where, how you change is the mind immediately before that. Is the one. That’s why some of those yogas have yoga of sleeping. And yoga of sleeping is very very important yoga and some practice of yoga of sleeping becomes first even before yoga of rising comes in (0.43:17) That’s why the dream is a very important point and also the sleep period, we spent tremendous amount of our time there. Almost 50% of our time, you do it almost. So anything you can make that positive is tremendous benefit. And to make the sleep period. Did I say the dream is one of those four? No, sleep is the one, sorry. Sleep is one of those changeable mental faculties, not a dream, sleep. So the whole sleep can be change into positive which is very beneficial. And when whole sleep is changed into positive, dream state is also included. And if you go in quite detail in the dreams, positive, negative, in this a lot of it there is the time factor. There is a factor where the consciousness travelling which part of our body. When the consciousness travelling at the throat level, and there is, dreams are much more clear. The consciousness travelling to the lower levels, lower part of the body, dreams are becoming quite muddy, not very clear. There are a lot of those things are there and it is completely separate, dreaming state and even dream yoga. Ya, there is a whole separate thing. Since there are a lot of questions coming, I think I would like to say this.

Audience : Could you please clarify the practice we do in the morning and evening the two, three, seven practice and how amount of offerings we might do?

Rimpoche : If I have the opportunity, I would like to share that tomorrow. This needs a little time. It is called the four mandala offerings. It is a set of praising, offerings and invocation. Praising, offerings, there is a seven limb, all that. Mandala offerings and then saying these Tara praise. First time, two. Second time, when it goes around. Second time, three. Third time, seven. (0.40:22) And that’s how, two, three, seven functions. If we get the time tomorrow after 8 fears. When we have done that and then we do it tomorrow.

Audience : You said that mind is not dependent on manifestation. How does that relate to the state of form is emptiness and emptiness is form?

Rimpoche : How does that part do? I fail to see it. Mind is not related to?

Audience : Mind is not dependent on manifestation.

Rimpoche : Manifestation.

Audience : Form.

Rimpoche : Mind is not. Well mind is not formless. As is now. Now I can see it, what you have been talking about. Okay. What happens is in the existence , things is divided into two categories. Category that is the physical aspects of it, which is form. And category of non physical aspects of it, that is the formless, mind and aspects of it. Yes, there is a tremendous relationship between body and mind. No doubt about it. Relationship very deep, very important. Very important. However mind doesn’t depend on form. There is the formless, even realm of formless. Leave aside, mind can function without form. Even the realm of formless where there is no form. That is perfectly okay. Now form is empty, emptiness is form. It is also perfectly okay. When you look for the emptiness you can look into, When you look at the selflessness, you can look at the self as a person, and within everything, within every existence, you will find emptiness. Emptiness, what you find, emptiness of form is form. So emptiness, form is emptiness, emptiness is form. And that doesn’t bother me at all. Whether the mind depends on the form or not. It doesn’t bother at all. I am sorry I fail to see the connection. It is one of those disconnected questions. Perhaps, I don’t know where it is coming from.

Audience : There is a lot of questions tonight.

Rimpoche : Go ahead.

Audience : If we act compassionately with altruism. Are we at the moment a manifestation of Tara based on the fact we all have the seed, that potential within us.

Rimpoche : If we act?

Audience : If we act compassionately with altruism are we have at that moment a manifestation of Tara.

Rimpoche : Maybe not. Maybe not. You know, the manifestation of the Tara is. I don’t know what to say. Is that blessings of Tara? Tara’s effect, sure is there. But is that manifestation of Tara, maybe not. To me manifestation is something coming out of Tara. So this might not be right.

Audience : How does Tara works with other people’s karma? If we are asking her to eliminate epidemic, is it possible to eliminate it and if so how?

Rimpoche : Very good question. And there is always room for miracle things because of the karmic. Karma is dependent arise, karma depends on the conditions. And there is always room for miracles. There is always room for purification. There is for changing all of them. Because it dependent arise. The idea that karma is solid, permanent doesn’t flies with me.

Audience : My next question is can you please make clear the colour and qualities of the first Tara. Many has heard her colour is red and many has heard is green.

Rimpoche : When I first talked on Tara, I talked on the basis of the principal that is green. Thank you. All okay? Don’t keep on changing now. I didn’t ask you to put up slide. Thank you.

Audience : Rimpoche, how does Tara wrathful means helps destroy our own internal poisons of ignorance, anger and attachment.

Rimpoche : I am sorry, I didn’t hear you.

Audience : How does Tara’s wrathful means helps us destroy our own internal poisons of ignorance, anger and attachment.

Rimpoche : Now can you repeat once more.

Audience : Yes, How does Tara’s wrathful means helps us destroy our own internal poisons of ignorance, anger and attachment.

Rimpoche : What Tara was angry is not with the individual person. Tara is angry with the negative emotions that controls the individual. So therefore even though. When Tara has, when Tara use the power of destruction it is always directed against negative emotions rather than individual and that is how it helps. (0.33:01)

Audience : Rimpoche, is there a term for the category of the 21 individual mantras as oppose to a root mantra.

Rimpoche : Root mantra is something else, completely. There is a root mantra, praise. There is another verse separately. But if you having the idea of some must have a root mantra, activity mantra and essence mantra. If you are thinking on those lines, that’s not it. Here, there is actually root mantra, praise separately. Root mantra is OM TARE TUTARE TURE SOHA. Essence mantra is also OM TARE TUTARE TURE SOHA. Activity mantra is also OM TARE TUTARE TURE SOHA. So it is just one.

Audience : From where does the original Sanskrit version of praise to the 21 Taras come?

Rimpoche : It is suppose to be, suppose to be. The books will say it was the praise given by Avalokistvara to Tara showing her qualities, I think. I think so. I used the word I think but I am not very certain. I just said it. I think it is.

Audience : Rimpoche, can we insert the 21 praises within the prayer to Noble Tara or do it by itself and do we need to do the refuge, generate bodhimind, dedication and just read it by itself?

Rimpoche : You can do with the refuge, generate bodhimind and read it. It is very good. If not you can read it by itself, also fine. If you are going to use with the Tara practice, White Tara practice and then before or after mantra, then you can use it. If you use it before, it may generally after the seven limb, you can use it. If you use it after the mantra, then this mantra includes OM TARE TUTARE TURE SOHA, then you have, some of you OM AH YE the sanskrit alphabets and then you have the Essence Mantra Yidam.. etc. And after after that if you have ARGHAM, PADYAM offering. If you don’t have ARGHAM, PADYAM offering and then you can use the 21 Tara praises straight away. If you do that then you do not need separate refuge, separate seven limb and all that, you can use right there. Then in that case, you may think the qualities of all the 21 Taras is within the White Tara.

Audience : Somebody requested that we chant the 21 praises before we leave and go to bed.

Rimpoche : We try.

Audience : Someone asked, I understand the analogy of the 21 Taras to specialized doctors where number 19, lifting disputes and number eleven, lifting poverty, what exactly is number four, the victorious Tara and number six, the Tara victorious over the 3 realms.

Rimpoche : Not very much. But not repetition either. Honestly, there is slightly difference in there, not very much.

Audience : The evil sorcerer has caste a spell on you, would you call upon number 7 Tara who destroys others power, destroy black magic or number 9, protection Tara for yourself?

Rimpoche : Both. Both. Or if you don’t remember both, just call Tara, generally. That’s also enough.

Audience : this question, what is the purpose of shaking the 3 worlds, number 17. How is it different from number 6, the Tara victorious over 3 realms?

Rimpoche : I am so glad that somebody paying a lot of attention. That is really true. Really true. Well, you know these Tara praise comes in that way. But the purpose of shaking the 3 realms is just not shaking the worlds nor is it giving earthquake nor tsunami. Neither it’s earthquake nor it is water quake. But idea is she has that capacity, that energy that has that capacity. So, if you have that much capacity to be able to do that much, anything else can easily be done. That was the real idea behind it.

Audience : Which of the 21 mantras are safe for people who haven’t done one million mantras?

Rimpoche : OM TARE TUTARE TURE SOHA.

Audience : And this is the last question, Rimpoche. If certain people wants to do a retreat on White Tara. The questions are what are the preliminaries, do you have to be a vegetarian. How many mantras should you have to do in a concentrated manner. Do you need an altar, how do you structure your time, do you have to have an initiation etc etc, etc. (0.26:07)

Rimpoche : That your last question, right?

Audience : After this.

Rimpoche : Thank you.

Audience : You are welcome

Rimpoche : If you wanted to do a retreat, is it the White Tara? If you wanted to do a White Tara retreat. Generally, I don’t know what does a retreat in English means. But in my mind when you talk about retreating. Retreating means somehow withdrawing from your, our normal busy activities and giving ourselves a slight time to contemplate, to think, to do something more than what we are normal, usually do. Normal, usually we keep ourselves very busy with deeds that we have to fulfil. So, to me, the word retreat itself alone it comes out slightly withdraw from normal activities. And after withdrawing then what you have left, extra time, time you have , putting in as the question says, concentrated, focused manner on whatever you are doing for that. That is a real, true retreat. In old days where I come from, the retreat people, people goes to the retreat, they retreat even more our daily chores, almost completely. Some of the very devoted people, devote, they may not be getting anything hot food for days at the time. They simply drink reasonably good water, and eat something with just made up of it, and that’s good enough for that just to keep that alive. As when we make offerings, that I have not introduced to you people. I have introduced the one word saying Buddha, the Master, the fearless protector, Sangha, the peerless that I made offering, the precious protectors. And if I add one verse then it sort of, this wonderful offering, offers to the Buddhas and all children of the Buddhas, by making it faithfully and everybody may enjoy the great wonderful, whatever, straight that nutrition that you get out of the food. Then the next one would be ( Rimpoche spoke in Tibetan), we are using the food like a medicine to sustain our life and body. (0.21:51) It has no obsession, no attachment, no hatred. Neither it is to make myself fat, or making good looking. And nor making myself whatever physical beauty. But just to sustain life. That verse they follow normally. Which indicates the food intake for the induvial person is to sustain life, to manage, to keep healthy. So when the people do retreat by themselves, they do not make tea. They sometimes, they don’t even have something hot for days. They don’t even boil water. So that much they retreat. And that much energy they put in, which is almost impossible for us, these times today, in today’s conditions. Yet we try to put certain solid time, even it is couple of hours. We try to put that in very solidly. Very solidly, so when you use the word retreat, I do want you to recognize, realize what we are talking about. Number one. Number two, spending time and talking refuge, generating bodhimind, is one of the best thing we can do for ourselves. And not only it just shows if you are going to do a Tara retreat, you probably be able to do this practice. In that case spend time with the refuge and generating bodhimind is extremely helpful. Perhaps while doing a Tara retreat, I am talking about doing a serious retreat. If you are thinking of doing a retreat during a weekend, a couple of people together, that need not require. If you really do a retreat properly because all the energies that you are going to put in, efforts that we are going to put in to make it perfect, using, develop bodhimind and refuge, and probably fulfil personal purpose and purpose of others, both. That is important.

Yes, initiation is always extremely, not only is it helpful, but it is an authorization. So, for doing a serious retreat, I would say yes. And then what else, initiation. Then there are a couple of other things. Vegetarian, yes. For Tara practice, vegetarian, yes. Definitely. It is not for health reasons. It is a reason for compassion reason. That’s why vegetarian is yes. Even person like me, who is a flesh eater. Like me. When you do the Tara practice, at least before that, at least that day. It is not after the practice is completed, try to remain vegetarian. That is Tibetan tradition. Tradition even though eat a lot of meat, whatever the way it is but when you do Tara practice, you remain vegetarian until it is over, at least for that day. For that day, it means day begins at the beginning of time of the day. Did you get it?

Audience : How do you structure your time and do you need an altar?

Rimpoche : yes. The way you structure your time is, you know, the recommended time is 6 times. Six times in day time and six times at night time, by avoiding sun rise, sun set, noon and the mid night. So make six times which is recommended. But if you could not, very practical, you go to sleep. So, either you have four sessions day or three sessions day. Avoiding time of sunrise, sunset and noon, meaning actual that period becomes a break, which means before sunrise you have one session. It also corresponds to this ( Rimpoche spoke in Tibetan). So getting up before dawn and evening which also corresponds that way. And one early morning. You may get up early in the morning, say 4.30 or something like that. 4, 4.30 and have a session. When sun rises, so when winter you can sleep a little bit late. Summer you can get up a little early. So that during the sunrise, one session done which is whether you do a thousand, or hundred , five hundred, whatever amount, the number you do. That’s including the earlier rituals that is taking refuge, generating bodhimind, four immeasurables, sadhana or the five generations, whatever, making offerings including seven limbs and saying the mantras. Mantras , not too many, maybe 500 or 1000 and then conclude and break by simply saying 100 syllable and if you are doing detail, Argham, padyam offering and praise, even 21 praise and then stop and then sun rises. And then after a little while you can again start another session. Then the second morning session before the noon, if you are not working. That will be very useful. Then you take the afternoon session and evening session. Four if you are not doing anything. The four is very convenient, very easy. The numbers will come up. Very good. If not, either late morning or early afternoon can skip. If you want to, early morning and late evening and whole day you want to skip, that is also fine. If you can do only one, early morning, you do and the rest of the day you skip. That also fine. So that is how you structure.

Altar, yes. This is very helpful to have an altar. I am talking about the serious retreat. I am not talking about you want to get retreat or you want the buddies get together, say something, do something together. Anything doing is better than nothing. That way you gather virtues. And serious way you are doing, altar is yes. As a matter of fact, it is a must. If possible within the altar, the most important, Guru of ours, Buddha Sakyamuni. And then the photo of Tsongkapa. Photo of your own Spiritual Master. Altar of Tara, if you are doing Tara practice. These are necessary things to be in the altar. (0.10:46) Just having an altar is not enough. One must have offerings. Even if you wanted to do seven or eight offerings, fine. Otherwise at least a glass of good offerings and flowers and something edible. Something edible should be there. And then, other questions? The number of mantras are recommendations. Since you remember there are five doubles. So ten. So, those are mantras who have less than, I forgot, some letter. Normally it is recommended one hundred thousand for each syllables which means this one is one million and plus one hundred thousand. And that is quite difficult to do in one stage. Therefore I do recommend, particularly beginning people if you really want to do it. Maybe you do it ten thousand and maybe if you it done, you may get done. Or maybe you stop your retreat for a short period, and maintain your activities and then pick another for ten thousand. In that way if you do it ten times, you will have 100,000. And if you repeat that over the years, you would be able to do a million. We do have a number of people who almost did, like a couple of sessions they almost maintained and a million saying together, we have a couple of them. We rejoice, we all should rejoice. And we hope you all may be able to do but you bite what you can chew. Don’t try to bite something which you cannot chew and then it slip away, is not right. So do a small number. OM TARE TUTARE TURE SOHA ,ten thousand is not that difficult. Easy to do it in a week. Not difficult at all. Even if you have one one session. Say get up 4.30 , goes up to say, 7, 7.30. Maybe you don’t want to take a shower before though it requires. But even then, just rinse your mouth and then seat down and straight away do it. (0.07:14) 5.30, 6.30, 7, two and half hours, you can get quite a number done. So within the week you can do ten thousand. At the beginning it is a little slow, and afterwards it become fast. Don’t try to calculate how much mantra will go, you know, with a calculator comes in. Some of our very dear friends started doing a retreat and I thought three weeks you will be able to do completely. And that person started picking on calculator looking, a very scientific way. Looking at how long it take to say a certain number and then calculating, keep on arguing with me. He said no way if it doesn’t get feel it. I said okay, try whatever it takes. When actually it does, it works much faster than thought it is. Person who does. We can be clever. That’s it. Well, thank you so much and before I close this, do you have any announcement? Okay. Before you do the announcement Sandy requested me today and that Aura is coming in the morning. As you know, she was very sick. Cannot do the, have the smell, much better now. She can’t even stay here. So tomorrow she will be coming in the morning session and afternoon she will be talking whatever Marianne today did. Marianne did a great job. Wonderful. Thank you. I mean each and everybody in the afternoon I have slack? myself. And each one of them are great. They all have done a wonderful job. Everybody as well as the other workshops running around. Everybody has done great. Thank you. Marianne, especially comparing with experience and the clearing and run away happily, practitioners. Really true. And it is very important her experience would, you know, Marianne , she said circumstances, conditions somehow are right and Marriane studied Buddhism, a long time before she become a Buddhist. I remembered long, long time she took. She is completely, very happy with the Catholic practice. Really. She said I am not a runaway. It is true. And also she studied Buddhism much more, years before she even took refuge. Long time. And as a Catholic she, after we lost Helen, she actually ran the whole Netherland’s Jewel Heart single handedly. Long time. Everything and it becomes so good today. They even bought a beautiful house and all of them, a huge one. Not just a small one, a huge one. I did the teachings last May and if you squeeze before as we do in Ann Arbor, 350 to 400 definitely hurt. But they said 250. They don’t squeeze as we do. They are luxurious Europeans. I am just kidding. Anyway, they do very well and you did a great talk today especially comparing Tara with Mary and manifestation and Tara’s 21 manifestations. It was beautiful. Those of you miss it, you have no idea what you have missed. Anyway, I would like to thank you, everybody. And so with that Sandy’s talk, and since Aura has to stay long time. Originally they were thinking of making Aura’s talk in the open air, in the Victory Park and it has changed, Is that right? So it is going to be in this room. So they have requested and you people wear less food for one day it will be helpful to her. If not try to make it a policy but simply requesting . That’s their request. I agree Sandy has said that. And that’s that part. Then we have a lot of exciting things tonight. And the, why don’t you forget your announcement. We are looking for so much excitement . You will look at indifferent. Kidding. I am just joking. You did great job throughout. Really. I am going to say that later.